Electric horn.



W. W. DEAN.

' ELECTRIC HORN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15. I913.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

2 SIHEETSSHEET I.

5 46.2 20444460270 //Z,,/Z?ZJU W. W. DEAN.

. ELECTRIC HORN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-15,1913.

PatentedSept..7,-1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, onrrnn ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM w. DEAN, or onrcaeo, ILLINOIS, Assxenon, BY mam ASSIGNMENTS, To

.BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINDIS, A COR- PORATION 0F rumors.

ELECTRIC HORN. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Horns, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of In said drawings-Figure 1 is a sectional elevational View taken on the line 11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the device with-the casing removed; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 2;

and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrat ing the instrument applied to a motordriven vehicle, such, for instance, as an automobile The alarm or horn in the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings is provided with a trumpet resonator or horn proper 10, which terminates in a flaring *open end or mouth and is secured at its inner end to the front portion 11- of the easi! .g containing the working parts of the signal. This front portion of the casing is preferably stamped from sheet metal and is provided with a forwardly projecting flange 12 around a central opening, to which flange the inner end of the horf. is secured by soldering or spinning, or in any desired manner. The front section of the casing is provided with a rearwardly extending peripheral flange 13, within which is adapted to telescope the edge of the rear section 14 of the casing. The front section of the casing has formed thereon a circular seat 15 on which the working parts of the signal are adapted to be secured.

The sound isproduced by a vibratlng dia- Specification of Letter Patent.

DEAN, v

, Patented Sept. *7, .1915; Application filed October 15, 1913. Serial No. 795,345. r

a suitable ring or gasket 17,- preferably formed of cork or cork composition, being interposed between the seat and the gasket.

The sound-producing diaphragm is preferably formed of athin sheet of suitably ternpered metal, and is of sufiicient size to leave a clearance between its periphery and the flange 13 for the reception of the edge of the.

casing 14.

The working parts of the horn are all mounted upon a suitable clamping ring 18 which is preferably formed of brass or some other suitable non-magnetic material. This ring is of substantially the same outside diameter as the diaphragm and is secured in position by suitable screws 19 which are inserted through apertures in the front section of the casing and engage in the ring.

On this ring I mount a magnet and its assoclated parts for causing vlbratlon of the diaphragm.- The magnet is of particular constructionand is especially adapted for the uses to which it is put. The core 20 of the magnet consists of a plurality of laminations stamped-of suitable sheet'material in U-shape. These laminations are clamped together upon a shelf 21 on the clamping ring 18 by suitable screws 22 which pass through the laminations' and .into the clamping ring, a clamping plate 23 being interposed between the heads of the screws and the top lamination to assist in holding the.

laminations in place. The ends of the core or pole pieces of the magnet are chamfered or beveled off. as at 24, this result being obtained by making the legs ofthe laminations shorter on each succeeding lamination from bottom to top and slightly beveling the ends of the legs. Each leg of the magnet core is provided with a coil or winding 25 which is wound in the form of a suitable spool and slipped over the legs of the core. Suitable coverings inclose the windings to protect them from injury, and two of the terminals of the magnet are connected together, as by twisting the together as at 26. By the above. construction the poles ofthe magnet project inwardly fromthe ring toward the centefof the diav phragm and lie in'a plane substantially par free ends of the windings plates and 31. plate 30 is beveled so' that the rear endhas with the diaphragm, the shelf or-support 12 raising the magnet sufficiently above of a fiat spring 29. This spring at its rear end is clamped between a pair of clamping The top surface of the thereof is lower than the front end, while the bottom surface of the clamping plate 31 is oppositely beveled so that the rear end of the under surface is Wider than the front end. By this arrangement the spring 29 is given a slight upward tilt so that the tapper 27 will be raised above the diaphragm in normal position without the necessity of bending the spring 29. At the same time,

' the top surface of the clamping plate 31 is through the creased. The free end of the perfectly flat and is parallel with the top surface of the clamping ring 18. Immediately above the tapper 27 is riveted or otherwise secured to the plate 28 the arma ture 33 of themagnet." This armature is formed of laminated plates and has its ends chamf'ered, as at 34, so that it overlaps the chamfered ends 24 of the pole pieces of the magnet. This chamfered end construction .is obtained by making each of the plates from the bottom to the top slightly longer, and'slightly beveling the ends of'the plate. These laminated plates are clamped together by the same rivets which secure the armature in position upon the plate 28. It will be' noted that the tapper 27 is so mounted on the plate 28 that it is centrally disposed with respect to the armature 33, and is also disposed so as to be immediately over the center of the diaphragm.

JThe above described construction of magnet and armature adds materially to the eflici'ency of the magnet, and atthe same time I am enabled to lay the magnet flatwise with respect to the diaphragm, that is, the legs of the magnet are substantially parallel with the diaphragm, whereby the depth of the inclosing casing -may be materiallyv dearmature adj acent the polepieces of the magnet, due to the inclined seat of its spring, is normally tiltedaway from the diaphragm so that the energization of' the magnet will move the armature toward the diaphragm.

The circuit for the magnet is interrupted by a vibrator which comprises a sprin 35 which is clamped between a palr of bushlngs 36 and 37 on the screw 38 which passes bushings and into the clamping ring 18. The opening 39 in the spring through which the screw 38 passes'is sufiiciently large so that the spring will not binding post plate come in contact with thescrew 38, and the bushings are suitably insulated from the screw by means of an insulating washer 40 upon the top of the clamping plate 31- by means of suitable screws 46 which pass through this leg and into the clamping ring 18. For insulating the plate from the clamping plate 31, suitable insulating plates 47 are interposed therebetween and the screws 46 are insulated from the plate by means of suitable insulating end of one leg of the plate 45, and after having been adjusted to its proper position is held in its adjusted position by a locking plate 49. This locking plate, it will be'seen, is slightly tilted. One end thereof is provided with a threaded" opening through which the screw 44 passes and the other end rests on the plate 45. A suitable screw 50 secures the locking plate in this position, and when this screw 50 is drawn tight the screw 44 is absolutely lockedagainst movement, and willremain in this adjusted position as long as desired. In event it is debushings 48. The screw 44 is adjustably supported in the sired to-set or adjust the screw 44, it is merely necessary to loosen. the screw 50 to unlock the screw 44. The plate 45 is electrically connected by the conductor 51 with a sulating bridge 53 on the clamping plate 18. This binding post plate 52 carries a binding screw 55 which, together with the upturned lug 56 on the binding post plate, forms a means for connecting one terminal of the line wire thereto. A second binding post plate 57, likewise provided with a binding screw 58, is mounted on the insulating support 53, and this plate 57 is connected by conductor 59 with one terminal of the magnet windings 25. The

spring 35 is held' in a normally raised position and. with its contact in engagement with the screw 44 by means of an insulating button 60 mounted on the iron plate 28 and 52 mounted upon an in'- secured by the screws54 Ill which engages the spring between its support and the'contact.

It will be seen that in operation the circuit enters from one of the leading-in wires to the binding post 58, thence it passes by conductor 59 to the coils of the magnets 25, thence by conductor 42 to the spring 35,

' closed and the tapper 27 caused to rapidly strike the diaphragm 16 to produce the required signal.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the horn or signal as applied to an automobile. Suitable con ducting wires are shown as connecting the magnet of the horn with the batteries 61, and a suitable switch or CiICT-lt closing button 62 is shown placed upon the steering wheel of the automobile, whereby the circuit through the magnet may be controlled by the driver of the car. i

It will be observed that in the drawings the armature is inclined somewhat with respect to both the magnet and the diaphragm. It is to be understood, therefore, that where in the claims the armature is recited as being substantially parallel with the diaphragm, or in substantially the same plane as the magnet, what is meant is that the armature is sufficiently parallel with the diaphragm or sufficiently. in the same plane of the magnet to be effectively acted upon by the magnet when the latter is energized, the magnet itself also being substantially parallel with the diaphragm.

While I have shown my signal or horn used in connection with a direct current supply, it will be understood that the magnet for operating thehorn is just as eiiicient-and maybe used just as satisfactorily with alternating current; and while I have illustrated and described one embodiment of my horn, it will be understood that various changes and modifications vmay be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire'tosecure by Letters izatent, is:-

1. An electric horn comprising, in combi nation, a diaphragm, an electromagnet substantially parallel with the diaphragm, and an armature for said magnet mounted in substantially the same plane as the magnet normally tilted away from the diaphragm and having its free end adjacent the electromagnet and in a position to be drawn toward the diaphragm by said magnet.

" 2. An electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm, mounted substantially parallel. with said an electromagnet diaphragm, an armature for said magnet radially disposed with respect thereto and having its free end adjacent the magnet and in a position to be drawn towardthe diaphragm when the magnet is energized, a support, and a spring connected 'to said armature and mounted on said support and normally tilting the armature away from the diaphragm.

3. An electric horn comprising; in combination, a diaphragm, an electromagnet supporta substantiallyparallel with the diaphragm, an armature for said magnet, hav- 'Yug its ends adjacent the poles of the magnet .moved in a line crossing the axis of said poles and toward the diaphragm whenthe magnet energized, a spring for said armatrue, a support, an inclined seat on said sup port for receiving one end of said spring to normally tilt the armature away from the diaphragm, and means for securing said spring on said seat. I

4. An electric horn comprising, in "zombination, a diaphragm, an annular support, an electromagnet mounted on said support substantially parallel with the diaphragm, an armature for said magnet having its free ends adjacent the poles of the magnet and moved toward the diaphragm when the magnet is energized, and a spring for said armature connected at one end to said armature and having its other end secured on said support diametrically opposite the sup porting point of the magnet and in a position to normally tilt the armature out of parallel with the axis of the poles of. the

magnet and away from the diaphragm.

5. An electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm, a support, an electromagnet mounted on said support substantially parallel with the diaphragm, aplate. a spring secured at one end to said plate and having its opposite'end mounted" on saidsupport, an armature on the opposite end ofsaid plate, a contact-carrying spring mounted on said support and overlapping said plate, and a stationary contact member also mounted on' said support and lying above said plate.

6. An electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm, a support, an electromagnet mounted on said support parallel with the diaphragm, an armature, a spring for supporting said armature having one end secured to'the support, a rigid clamp for securing said spring to said support having an extension, a circuit breaker and a stationary contact-adjusting screw for said circuit breaker for said magnet mounted on said extension.

7. An electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm, a support, an electromagnet mounted on said support substantially parallel with the diaphragm and having its polesprojecting inwardly toward the center of-said diaphragm, an armature overlying the pole-pieces of the magnet on justing screw, a support for said screw, a locking plate having an opemng at one end through which said screw passes, and means for drawing the opposite end of the plate toward the support for locking said screwagainst rotation I s 9. An electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm, a clamping member engaging the diaphragm at its periphery and constituting a support, an electromagnet mounted on said support, and an armature for said magnet spring-mounted on said support, said. magnet being substantially parallel with the diaphragm and having a pole extending toward the center of the diaphragm, said armature overlapping the pole and having its overlapping portion moved toward the diaphragm when the magnet. is energized.

10. An electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm, a clamping member engaging the diaphragm at its periphery and constituting a support, an electromagnet mounted on said support substantially parallel with the diaphragm and having its poles projecting inwardly toward the center of the diaphragm, an armature for said magnet overlying the poles of said magnet on the side opposite the diaphragm and in a position to. be moved toward the diaphragm when the magnet is energized, and a supporting spring for said armature mounted on said support.

11. A compact shallow-backed electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm,

an annular support, an electromagnet mounted on said support flatwise with respect to said diaphragm and substantially'parallel therewith, a fiat armature also substantially parallel with the diaphragm and having one end spring-mounted on the support at a point opposite the point of support of the magnet and the other end adjacent the polepieces of the magnet and in a position to be moved toward the diaphragm I when the magnet is energized.

12. In an electric. horn, a diaphragm, an

electromagnet mounted substantially parallel with the diaphragm,

an armature mounted substantially parallel with the diaphragm andmoved toward the diaphragm and in a direction traversing the ends of' the magnet when the magnet is energized, the said magnet and armature being oppositely supported with respect to the diaphragm, a v

spring normally retracting the armature,

and means operated by the armature for vibrating the diaphragm.

13. In an electric horn, a suppogt, a diaallel with the diaphragm and mounted on the support adjacent one edge of the diaphragm, an armature also substantially parphragm, an electromagnet substantlally par i allel with the diaphragm and .mountedfon armature mountedat opposite points on the support and both of which are substantially parallel with respect to the diaphragm, the

armature moving toward the diaphragm when the magnet is energized and having a diaphragin-vibrating tapper, and a spring normally retracting the armature, the armas ture extending inwardly toward the magnet. winding beyond the extremity of the. mag net core.

15. In an electric horn, a diaphragm, an

electromagnet and armature supported ad.- Q

jacent opposite edges of the diaphragm and extending toward each other and" both of which are substantially parallel with respect" toythe diaphragm and in a direction across the poles of the magnet, the armature being moved toward the diaphragm when the magnet is energized, and a spring normally ref tracting thearmature.

16. A compact shallow-backed electric horn comprising, in combination, a ring sup-j port, a diaphragm on the front side of said support, an electromagnet mounted on the rear side of said support with its coils and cores projecting over, parallel With and adjacent to the diaphragm, an armature for I said electromagnet also mounted on said support and in said magnet toward the diaphragm and toward the plane of the magnet cores, and a tapper carried by said armature to strike the diaphragm when so attracted.

17. An electric horn comprising adiaphragm in combination with a unitary selfua position to be attracted by j contained structure comprising an annular support, an electromagnet for vibrating said diaphragm having its magnetic cores extending inward from said annular support,

interrupter contact supports electrically in-.- dependent of the armature of the electromagnet and mounted on said'annular su port, extending inward therefrom and 111 means for operating said contacts in response to the vibrations of said diaphragm.

18. An electric horn comprising, in com- .bination, a diaphragm and an electromagnet for vibrating said diaphragm having its core lying in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said diaphragm and having its armature lying in substantially the same plane.

19. An electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm, and an electromagnet for vibrating said diaphragm having its core' lying in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said diaphragm and having an armature lying in substantially the same plane, the ends of the pole pieces of said magnet and said armature being oppositely beveled.

20. An electric horn comprising, in combination, an annular support, an electromagnet having its pole pieces formed from a plurality of U-shaped laminations, beveled at its ends, the laminations being secured to said annular support by clamping the same upon the support at their bases, and an armature for vibrating said diaphragm comprising a plurality of laminations, beveled at its end, and a spring support for said armature.

21. An electric horn comprising a dia- I phragm in combination with a unitary selfcontained structure comprising anannular support, anelectromagnet lying in a plane substantially parallel to said diaphragm and v extending inwardly from said annular support, an armature, a reed for supporting said armature secured on said annular ring at a point diametrically opposite the magnet, a stationary contact mounted on an arm extending inwardly from said annular sup-.

port and a spring contact extending in- -wardly from said annular support, said contacts being moved into and out of engagement to control the circuit of said magnet by the movement of the armature.

.22. An electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm, an electromagnet for operating said diaphragm, the poles of said electromagnet comprising a plurality of U-shaped laminations lying in substantially parallel planes parallel with the diaphragm,

and an armature operated by' said electro magnetformed, from a plurality of laminations, the adjacent edges of the pole-pieces of thema'gnet andofthe armature being oppositely beveled.

23. An electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm, a tapper, an arma-- ture movable to and from said diaphragm, a fiat spring horizontally disposed. for supporting 'said armature, a support for said spring comprising a pair of clamping plates having their clamping faces oppositely beveled to in cline said spring upwardly and away from said diaphragm, and an electromagnet for operating said armature.

24. An electric horn comprising, in comand a tapper carried by said spring for striking said diaphragm.

'25. An electric horn comprising, in combination, a diaphragm, an annular support, an electromagnet lying in a plane substantially parallel to said diaphragm and eX- tending inwardly from said annular support, an armature, a reed for supporting sald armature secured to said annular ring at a point diametrically opposite the ma net, a stationary contact mounted on an arm extending inwardly from said annular support, a spring contact carried by and extending inwardly from said annular support, said. contacts being moved into and out of engagement to control the circuit of the magnet by the movement of the armature, an in- 'sulating bridge mounted on said annular support, a binding post mounted on said insulating bridge and electrically connected with said stationary contact, and a second binding post mounted O'l said insulating bridge electrically connected with one of the terminals of the windings of the magnet.

26. An electric horn comprising, in com bination, a diaphragm, an annular su port, an electromagnet lyingin a plane su stantially parallel to said diaphragm and ex tending inwardly from said annular support, an armature, a'flatspring for supporting said armature, a support for said spring comprising a pair of clamping plates mounted on. the annular support having their clamping faces oppositely beveled to incline said spring upwardly away from the diaphragm, a stationary contact, a support for said stationary contact comprising L-shaped plate, one leg of said plate resting upon said clamping plates for said spring, and screws common to all of the plates for clamping all of said plates to the annular ring, a spring contact extending inwardly from, said annular support, said spring and stationary contacts being moved into and out of engagement to control the circuit of said magnet by the movement of the armature.

27. An electric horn comprising, 1n com- Q bination, a diaphragm, an electromagnet for operating said diaphragm, a current interprising a screw, a support for said screw, a

locking plate having a screw-threaded opening through which said screw passes and supported from the support at the end provided with the opening, and means for drawing the opposite end of said plate to- Ward the support for locking said screw against rotation. V

v WILLIAM W. DEAN; Witnesses N. PERRY HAHN, ANNE SOLOMON. 

